The list begins here

The idea for the section you’re about to read came, simply enough, from an offhand comment in a casual conversation, probably during lunch or an idle moment at the office.

“Moffat County wouldn’t be where it is without women.”

I don’t remember who said it or the context, so the author remains anonymous for today’s purpose.

Nonetheless, she or he had hit on something with that remark, but I didn’t know what, if anything, to do with it.

Until another casual chat.

Again, I don’t remember the circumstances or the speaker, but I remember debating whether Craig and Moffat County was really, as the speaker stated, run by a “good old boys club.”

It’s not a new sentiment, that little is allowed to happen in our community without the blessing of some circle of male powerbrokers, but is it true?

I’ll leave you to decide, but I tend to believe it isn’t.

One look around at some of the positions of power in our community — some of which are highlighted in the following pages — is enough to tell us. While there exists an imbalance, the scales aren’t completely uneven.

We have women — all of them strong, intelligent, thoughtful and professional — working in positions vital to the community and influencing public policy and dollars. From elected officials in government to law enforcement to economic development and more, there are women in prominent roles.

We think that’s a pretty cool aspect of our small community.

There’s also a special tribute inside to the late Marianna Raftopoulos, a long-time public servant and the epitome of a prominent woman of Moffat County, written by her daughter, Mari Katherine.

One last thing you should know. The women profiled today are simply a launching point for future sections. We’ll publish a Prominent Women section annually from here on out.

The list of those we can profile is long, and we’re only getting started on giving these women their due praise.